The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-02-25
IEEE KIMBALL GRAPHIC,
BY G. R. rlNAN.

- 1i411 4AAA4xJl14J1 IlG.n-l lllsJs
g BY G. r. TlNAN.
As previously noted in these columns,
the people of this township are to be
given the opportunity, on Tuesday next,
March l. of voting for or against bond.
ing Kimball township for 5000, to Gre
ate a fund to be expended in building
new school house in Kimhall. In thus
calling attention to the matter aud com
menting thereon as may herein follow we
desire to but state the plain facts in the
case and TO stimulate public interest in
the matter that will call out full vote
of the pr ointment and principal tax pay
ers. we have no desire to influence
votes pro or con- All that we ask is that
the election may go as meets the wishes
OF the taf payers, not that of an irrespon-
sible element which abounds in every
community; an clcmcnt in which the
taxes paid by those that compose it are
limited solely to poll tax and the gov.
erment tax on the whisky they consume.
AM element of this kind should not be
allowed TO saddle community with an
overwhelming debt nor to defeat dc.
sired improvement.
Two years ago, the school board,
Messrs. Austin Maynard and Pattce, per
ceiVing that our school facilities were in
adequate to the demands, called an elect
ION Tor the purpose of bonding the town
ship for Sl5co., to be expended in build
ing q addition to the present school
house. This was, however, against the
wishes of Mr.. Pattce. So much so. in
fact, that by strong individual efforts on
his part the bond was voted down. He
was in favor then as he is now of build
ing a new building cntircly--or nearly so.
After the election the board had no other
resort other than to rent another room
or building, which they did, renting the
east room in the opera house building,
and for which they are paying rental
OF $loe or over per annum That this
room is utterly unfit for school purposes
and badly located, as well, for such uses
is so plainly apparent to every observer
as to need no comment. Brit this is not
the grayest trouble. The school building
now in use is in 4 very bad and untcnant-
able condition. Poorly constructed in
the first place. through lack of funds to
properly build. it is now totally unfit for
use during the winter months and little
better during the balance of the year.
Not only this, but the building has but
two rooms, and both of them are crowded
beyond their seating capacity, and have
been for months. Pupils in The lower
grade school tin the opera house room
are prevented from advancing to Miss
Plummers department in the schoo!
building simply because she has no room
for them.
1t will thus be seen that the school
facilities in kimhali are not of Tie best;
not even passablc; in fact, bad.
Now on the other hand, our present
tax for school purposes is simply horri-
Bile, enough to frightcn new conner out
of the country. At present there is 50,
TOO in school bonds against kimbali
township In addition TO this, every tax
payer in the corporate limits Of himba!l
Is paying interest on a municipal debt of
$4,000 and county debt of &lS,50 or
over. This compels every resident tax
payer of kmball to pay his or her por-
ton of the interest on a total indebted
ness of over Miriy-tro thousands dollars.
his is plain statement of the facts
as we find them. Now what is to be
done. In another part of to day $ pa
per, Mr.. Maynard, member of the
school board. informs US that if the bonds
are voted down the board will be obliged
to build an addition to the present school
building and pay the same by tax levy
of about 10 mills for one year, simply
because something has got to be done
The people voted against bonding for an
addition to the building. two years ago
and if they vote this time against a new
the board has no other
resort The question then resolves
itself: whether it is better to
pay yearly interest of $500 to 500 on
bonds for the next ten or fifteen years,
or to cxpend about 81 500 at once in re-
pairing the present building. We will
state here before going further, that in
either event-whether new building is
built or the old one repaired-thc $1OS
OF over now paid for the rent of the
opera house room will be saved.
Fault has been found for calling for
bonds to the amount of So, 900 by those
who think a smaller sum sufficient. As
will be seen by his communication, Mr
Maynard thinks the sun none too large
to build good and permanent building
His idea is to build on to the present
on the east side, room as
large as the present building and then
carry the whole up two stories high
that Is to say, if the people demanded
WV Seo' > tIhcpt We uHuti-
stand him that he does not himself favor
such buildings for school purposes. Mr.
Pattee says that the board called for the
amount asked for so that they would be
sure and haze enough to carry out the
plans intended; that if it is not possible
to sell the present building and con-
tract can be made By which the present
building can be enlarged to two-story
and properly built and fitted
with heating facilities for a less umount,
81, 900 or "a 600 bonds will be issued only
to that amount.
Two years ago the GRAPHIC favored
the voting of the bonds to build the
addition. We have seen nothing since
to change our views. We believe that
81, 500 would have placed the building
in good condition, by the addition of u
I, and the $225 or so paid for rent since
that time would have heinrd consider